John B.Richardson of the Washington Artillery? Cool. Do you have any info you’d like to share about his experience at Bull Run (or otherwise, for that matter)? I know he was not in charge of a battery there,but I’m guessing he was present.

I need to take some time to review this OOB for artillery, but right off the top of my head, Robert F. Beckham was not with the Culpeper Battery (King & Queen) and I don’t even know if any such named battery was present at 1stBR. Actually, Beckham (who was quite a focal point of interest in my work with artillery) was a lieutenant with the Newtown Artillery at 1st BR. The Newtown Artillery was organized in Frederick County, Va., near what is now Stephens City. I can give you more info on the service of this battery later. I think I even have something that Beckham wrote about the action.

Of all Virginia batteries present at 1stBR, in the VRHS, I covered the the Beauregard Rifles (Schaeffer… which didn’t actually serve as artillery in the battle), Latham’s Lynchburg Artillery, Newtown Artillery, Thomas Artillery, and Wise Artillery.

So could the Newtown Artillery be misidentified above as the Culpeper Battery? I note also that Hennessy lists the Culpeper Battery as present and attached to Smith/Elzey. He does not show the Newton Artillery as present. Could it be that since Beckham was with the battery (Newtown) that researchers assumed it was the Culpeper Battery when it was in fact the Newton Artillery? Any chance this battery was commanded by a Captain Grove? I notice on the CSA OOB I also have Stanard in two places, Thomas and Rockbridge. Should Rockbridge be Brockenbrough?

Beckham was from Culpeper, and that may be the factor in the misidentification of the battery, but the battery was definately from what is now Stephens City. The captain of the Newtown Artillery was George A. Groves, but Beckham commanded that day, Groves having left on July 11 to recruit.

Stanard was definately the commander of the Thomas Artillery and W.N. Pendleton the captain of the Rockbridge Artillery.

Though Pendleton was promoted to colonel and chief of artillery on 7/19, he did not officially give up command of the Rockbridge Artillery until 7/23. The accounts of the RA men clearly show that Pendleton was commanding the battery in the battle. As of 7/23, Lt. William McLaughlin was commanding the battery because Brockenbrough (who would have been senior lieutenant and commanding after Pendleton’s change of command) had been wounded in the face at the battle and remained absent from duty because of the wound until 8/10. Not long after his return, Brockenbrough resigned and Lt. McLaughlin was elected captain on 8/14.

Incidentally, it is J. (John) B. (Bowyer) Brockenbrough, not J.P. Brockenbrough. Brockenbrough ended up in command of the Baltimore Light Artillery in 3/62.

OK, maybe another mystery solved. Of course, I’m taking your word for this, Robert, and will have to check it all out. I did notice a few differences in the Confederate batteries between various OOBs I consulted. Now to change the CS OOB.

I do know that even The Long Arm of Lee has its problems. Speaking of which, my original idea for my history masters thesis was focused on… the reorganization of the artillery of the Army of Northern Virginia. Frankly, I’d love to write a total do-over of the Long Arm of Lee. An immense project, but worth the effort.

Some bio offerings for the commanders of my VRHS batteries who were present as commanders at 1stBR …

For the Newtown Artillery…

Beckham, Robert Franklin: B. 5/6/37, Culpeper, Va. Resident of Warrenton when appointed from Virginia’s Seventh District to USMA, 7/1/54. Graduated 7/1/59, 6th of 22. Assigned as Brevet 2nd Lt., Topographical Engineers, USA, 1859-61. Lt. of Artillery, PACS, 3/16/61. Actual start date of service with the Newtown Artillery is unclear, but present with the battery prior to 1st Manassas. Assigned to the Jeff Davis Artillery (Alabama) at Centreville and detailed to drill the battery int he fall and winter of 1861-62 (per SO #623, 10/16/61. Staff Lt. to Gen. G.W. Smith 1/14/62. Elected captain of the Jeff Davis Artillery 3/21/62, but refused the post. Major and Ordnance officer to G.W. Smith, 8/30/62. Assigned command of Stuart’s Horse Artillery Battalion on J.E.B. Stuart’s request, 4/8/63. Transfered to the west, 2/16/64. Appointed Col. and assigned command of the artillery for the Army of the Tennessee, 7/5/64. MWIA 11/29/64 at Franklin, TN. Died 12/5/64. Burie at St. John’s Church, Ashwood, TN.

For the Beauregard Rifles…

Schaeffer, Frank B.: Captain. Enl. 5/1/61, Manassas. Detached 9-11/61. (The company served in a limited capacity in the First Battle of Manassas. Reports place the company, acting as infantry during the engagement, between a section of Henry Gray Latham’s Lynchburg Artillery and the Fauquier Artillery within one hundred yards and to the left of Lewis Ford. Though the company had been originally designated for artillery service, there were pparently numerous circumstances that prevented it from performing in its intended role in its first engagement and thereafter).

For the Lynchburg Artillery…

Latham, Henry Gray: B. 3/4/21, 2nd son of Dr. Henry Latham and Rebecca Owen Latham. Attended UVA 1850-51 and reeived a degree in meicine. Member of the engineer crew that surveyed the present route of the Norfolk and Western RR from Lynchburg to Salem. “Had a beautiful baritone voice.” Enrolling captain of the battery, 4/23/61. Absent on leave 4/6/62, raising a battalion. After he left the Lynchburg Artillery, his efforts failed to form a battalion, however, he did recieve a commission as a surgeon. Also commanded the Local Defense Artillery for the City of Lynchburg for an undesignated time. D. 5/5/1903. Buried in Presbyterian Cemetery, Lynchburg; range H, lot 1.

Pelham, John: B. 9/7/38, Calhoun Co., Alabama, son of Atkinson and Martha Mumford McGehee Pelham. Attended USMA. Left prior to graduation due to secession. Lt. of Artillery, PACS, 3/16/61. Served as lieutenant and drillmaster with Alburtis’ Battery, 1861. Commanded as 1st Lt., the Newtown Artillery. Capt. of Pelham’s Stuart Horse Artillery through 3/23/62. Major, 8/9/62. Lt. Col. 4/4/63 (posthumously) and backdated to 3/2/63. MWIA at Kelly’s Ford, 3/17/63. Buried in Jacksonville, Alabama. Note: It is interesting that in one of his letters, Capt. George Wilmer Brown annotated that John Pelham’s middle initial was “C.” It might have some relevance in that his maternal grandmother was a Clay. John Pelham also had a brother and an uncle named Charles. Brown also listed several other officers and their middle initials are correct with the exception of James Breathed’s.

An ancestor, George Washington Muse was in the Civil War First Battle of Bull Run and was (according to family history) the first soldier of the Washington Artillery killed in action on July 18, 1861. I found a discussion of the battle online and found where and when he died. Can’t seem to locate it now.

Muse was a member of the First Company, Washington Artillery, and was killed at Blackburn’s Ford on July 18. You can read about him (briefly) on pages 26 and 28 of “In Camp and Battle with the Washington Artillery of New Orleans”, by William Miller Owen, and in the reports of Maj. Walton and Lt. Squires.

I haven’t been out to check on this entry I put on your blog but was so VERY
SURPRISED and APPRECIATIVE of you detailed answer and the sources you gave me. I have put stories of his death out on Ancestry.com. He was so young, never married and I’m sure died a horrible death far from home.

I feel so much better ( L O L ) when I have all the facts and can now let him Rest in Peace. His Father was my Great Great Grandmother’s Brother.

Little confused about the Fauquier Artillery being at First Manassas. History I find says they were the original Co. G 49th Va. Inf. Before that the Markham Guards. They didn’t go to Manassas until Aug 1st. where they became Co. G for a short time until Captain Stribling received orders to retrain the men for the artillery with captured yankee artillery. My gg grandfather was with this unit from start to finish. If my info is incorrect sure would like to know.

Ahh…let me chck with Robert and see what he means. In the future, click on the reply buttin beneath the comment to which you are replying – then your comment will show up indented directly below it, just like mine does here.

Good point. Certainly is odd that the report for the Bearegard Rifles states that they were between Latham’s Battery and the Fauquier Artillery, when in fact, Stribling’s Fauquier Artillery (or the unit that would become said unit) wasn’t at 1st BR. I’m going to have to look at the report again, but I’m pretty sure that’s what the report stated. There may have been a mistake on the part of the reporting officer.

My great Granfather, Phillip Samuel Beach, was with the Louden (Leesburg) VA light artillary under Captain Arthur L. Rogers and fought with him at the first Battle of Bull Run. We found records that he was with General Robert E. Lee at the time of Lee’s surrender at Appomatox Courthouse. It’s amazing he survived the entire war.

Dulce bellum inexpertis

“I am sending you these little incidents as I hear them well authenticated. They form, to the friends of the parties, part of the history of the glorious 21st. More anon.”

About

Hello! I’m Harry Smeltzer and welcome to Bull Runnings, where you'll find my digital history project on the First Battle of Bull Run which is organized under the Bull Run Resources section. I'll also post my thoughts on the processes behind the project and commentary on the campaign, but pretty much all things Civil War are fair game. You'll only find musings on my “real job” or my personal life when they relate to this project. My mother always told me "never discuss politics or religion in mixed company”, and that's sound advice where current events are concerned.

The Project

This site is more than a blog. Bull Runnings also hosts digitized material pertaining to First Bull Run. In the Bull Run Resources link in the masthead and also listed below are links to Orders of Battle, After Action Reports, Official Correspondence, Biographical Sketches, Diaries, Letters, Memoirs, Newspaper Accounts and much, much more. Take some time to surf through the material. This is a work in process with no end in sight, so check back often!